Energy-efficiency strategies make economic sense

Panel on climate change included fair cross section

Letters to the editor
December 17, 2007

"Emissions debate gets heated" (Crain's, Nov. 5), on the policy recommendations of the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group, included a claim by some critics that the group somehow rushed to judgment and had an overrepresentation of environmental advocates.

In fact, the 40-person group had extensive meetings - five meetings of the full group and more than 25 of the five working sub-groups over an eight-month period. There were extensive analyses of the environmental and economic impact for Illinois. All policy recommendations were fully briefed and debated.

The group includes a fair cross section of Illinois leaders in government (state Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott), business (Baxter International's Art Gibson), labor (Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan) and environmentalists (Environmental Law and Policy Center Executive Director Howard Learner).

Implementing the policy recommendations will not be easy, but solving global-warming problems is the moral, business and policy challenge of our generation.

The advisory group's comprehensive recommendations, if enacted, can significantly reduce global-warming pollution in line with Gov. Rod Blagojevich's stated goals. These policies can be effectively integrated with corresponding policies in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin to deliver strong environmental and economic progress for the region.

Arthur Gibson
Vice-president
Baxter International Inc.
Deerfield

Howard A. Learner
Executive Director
Environmental Law and Policy Center
Chicago